Talking Signs, Inc, based in Baton Rouge L.A. The founder of Talking Signs is Ward Bond.
Smith Kettlewell Institute researchers study both blindness and vision, and they have a famous rehabilitation engineering lab run by primarily blind engineers. One of their recent success stories involves the work of Dr. William Loughborough, formerly of Smith Kettlewell. Bill developed a system that evolved into what is now being called talking signage, an electronic system for labeling environmental areas.
Mapping technologies have incorporated voice feedback. These technologies are evolving alongside global positioning systems. For an overview and links, see theUniversity of Sheffield Blind Mobility Research Page
"Bats" is a map reading program being developed at the University of North Carolina. Researchers are turning maps into haptic soundscapes for blind and visually impaired individuals.
Here's an email I received concerning Tiger Graphics, a company making 3D maps.
Hello,
I am a blind student from Winona State University. We have started using Tiger Graphics for mobility maps. They make everything much clearer. Here's a link: http://www.viewplustech.com
You should look it up, I enjoyed your website...... PJ
So called "low technologies" are also rapidly developing in the arena of signage. Check out Blindsigns as an example of an excellent approach to labeling walkways at intersections and at bus stops.